Cattle-guard



S I. SMITH.

CATTLE GUARD.

APPLICATION man MAR. 8. m9.

1 ,3 1 4:, 9 1 O Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES Slf/WUSW/ffi |NVENTOR ATTORNEY s SMITH.

CATTLE GUARD.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1919 1 3 1 4:, 9 l O Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Sjfrma 6 7 INVENTOR BY (V I yy aid MM. v

ATTORNEY Fig. 1.-

UNITED STATES PA OFFICE.

Q A I IH, OF w rms, TENNESSEE. y

- CATTLE-GUARD.

To all whom it inay concern 2 Be it :known'that I, S IRMA SMITH, acitizen of the United States, residin at Memphis, inthe county ofShelby'and tate of Tennessee, have invented a new and usefulCattle-Guard,"of which the following is a specification;

{This invention has reference. to cattle guards; and itsobject is toprovide ,a guard oflight, safe, cheap, durable and fire-proofconstruction which s ay :be readily collapsed for shipment, and" when inplace: in the track will effectivelyprevent the passage of cattlealongthe track but'will not trap and hold the cattle like some deviceswhich have The guardcomprises metallic interchangeable sections to beintroduced :between; the ties of the track, and triangularwooden toppieces-for the ties both between and beyond the rails, all soarrangedthatithe cattle. can

-a section of the guard showinga somewhat back out but cannot 1goaforward, .whereby the cattle will be ke pt'frdm walking alongthetnmk; The guardm'aybe'in. most part made of :shee'tumetalat. the shopstamped or rolled into shape andsentout to the section foremantomstallbyhsimply placing the guard between the standard 'ties. The

guard is So'cOnStructed that no part proects above'the ties making itimpossible for dragging brake beams'to'catch in the. guard or causedamage to the guard in any way. i

The invention will be best understood from'aconsideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding,however, that the invention is-not confined to any strict' conformitywith the showing of the' drawin'gs, but may be changed and modified solong as such changes and modifications mark no material departure fromthe"salientgfeatures of theuinvention as expressed in the appendedclaims. v

a In the drawings Figurel is a'pl'an View ofa short length.

of track provided with the guard. .1

Fig. 2 is a'section on'the line 22 or Figll'j Q Fig. 3 is a sectionon'th'e' line 3-3 of Fig. 45'is a perspective'view; ofone ofthe guardsections in the collapsed position.

Fig, 5 is "aperspective view ofoneendof modified form. i

to keep, the section from collapsing.

{ I specification 1: Letters Patent. Patefitedsept, 2, 1919; Applicationfiled March 8, 191a. semino. 281,482.

Referring to the drawings, there are shown rails 1 and ties 2 which maybe taken as indicative of the rails and ties of an ordinary railroadtrack.

.Fast on the topof the ties between the rails being secured thereto inany preferred manner are wooden strips 3 and beyond the rails are woodenstrips l, these strips being of angular-or wedge shape, with the angleuppermost, so as to present contracted and insecure footing tocattle,wherefore cattle will avoid stepping on the ties in an effort totravel along the track, or if they should step thereon will immediatelyback out'and retrace their steps. No novelty. is claimed for thiselement of the invention. It will be understoodthat equivalent means maybe provided, but the triangular strips are found to be efiicient for thepurpose. a

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a series of fourmetallic structures forming the guard and constituting the essentialfeature of this invention. These guard sections are alike and thereforein; terchangeable, and may be of'any number desired to format completeprotection.

Each metallic structure or section is in nected together byv bars orstrips 7 8, re-

spectively. The connecting means shown con'iprlse rivets or pivot pinsor bolts 9 traversingfthe strips and S and the flanges 6xnearoppositeextremities .of said flanges 6, so that by-moving the strips 7 and -8lengthwise. 1n one, direction the plates ,5, JVlllClLtl'Q' arrangedparallel one to the other,

are separated, and when moved, in the other direction the strips 7 and 8are brought flat together, thereby collapsing the unit made up oftheplates 5 and the strips 7 and 8 asshown in Fig. 5; At the ends of eachsectionwa' brace 5 is provided extending fromqthe lower pivot of oneplate. to the upper pivot of thenext adjacent plate soT as he e'ndsofthe brace are detachably mounted ing .;,the sectionmay be effected. Thearrangemen't is such that when the platesh5 are moved apart" by .theparallel motion in place so. that upon releasing either end the-.collapsing of the sets of plates formprovided, anda section or unit islodged V be desired-they canieasily be added. The

ties the plates are about on a level with the topsof the; ties, whilethe width of the plates. causes the unit or section to occupy the entirespace between two adjacent ties from approximately'fone end to the otherof the ties as shown in Fig. 1 hen the strips I7 and 8 are spread apart,thus bringing the; plates toward the erect position, and the unit orsection occupies approximately all' the space between the ties, the topof one plate is about vertically over the bottom of the next succeedingplate. 'ByLprOperIy proportioning and spacing the plates,an animal iisnot at allliable to catch its legs in between the plates, butmust plantits'feet on{ the upper edges of the plates which providean uncer-Vtainiand insecurefootingnot conducive to 25. I Fig.5, or may be smooth,as indicated in'the other "figures; Fence sections Il {may 'be providedtoprevent the cattle rfrol n passing about the'gcattle guard, but thisfeature aidesire for further forward travel. The

slant of'the-plates is reversed in each alter nate section asshowninFig. l, and this 'fco'ntributes to the difliculty of v theanimalwalking on the track. 1 7' g-The top edges of the plates may be madetoothed or serrat'ed, as indicated'at 10 in forms no pa'rt'of myinvention. 1

It has been found, in practice, that the space betw'een' five standardtiesis sufficient to. preventstock from jumping the cattle guards.Thiswould require the use of four sections or units, but if additionalsections best positions for the plates 5 when ine stalled is at aninclination of aboutg",

. the animal between them. units are all identicaland therefore intercbut such particular angle is not-obligatory. 40 4 ficient to withstandconditions of use and the metal may be protectedby' galvanizing,

The gage'of metal used is of coursesufor painting, sheet steel" beingbest adapted for the purpose. The collapsibilityofthe units orksectionsis not only advantageous "for shipping but for'placing andwithdraW- ingthe units, and-the-provision of the braces at the ends prevents collapsewhen theunits are in place should an animal step-on any part thereof oThe unitsor nests ofplates each ezitends crosswise'of the track, causingthe'pl'ates' to be presented with their upper edges lengthwise ofjtherails so that an animal in attempting to pass the to prevent catchingand lockin the feet of oreover, the

changeable so their number may be as great or small as desired, and; theunits maybe initially made up in large quantities.

The strips 3 have their ends beveled, as shown at 12, to avoidinterference with the t em i V uardwill find V painful although notharmul footing, for I the plates should'be close enou'gh together.

flanges ofthe car wheel s.

It is not obligatory that the units or nests of plates 5'b'e madecollapsibl'eor even be I I 'joined bythe side bars 7 and 8 in the'man'ner shown, forother arrangements maybe provided wherebythelplateslare,.in thefine N stalled position, arranged between; the ties in a seriesextending lengthwiseiofsthe ties 'apartasto present aninsecuref footingof r such small-area as to'obstruct the passage" or crosswiseof the,track,and soqspaced' of an animalz attempting tolwalk thereonwithoutdoing any real harm toithe animal. The triangular strips :3: and14 are 'advantai geous'in conjunction with, the platesr 5n incontributing :to the-insecurity of, footing 01.1

the ties." Theunits, when installed, have theupperedges of the platesain substan a.

tialalinement lengthwise of the track.

The metallic plates being-connected together may "be reniovedibodilywhen making or nine inches, consequently the depth of the metallic;structures Sis not sulficient, to

.repairs to the roadbedor cleaningtout, snow; The depth of standard tiesis about eight V 7 trap stock and hold it,but stockl can re.- leaseitself and get out of the guard though '7 1', A cattlegu'ard provided'it cannot goforward: or:'over the guardlr 1 with-complete. i sections'or units for introduction, between adjacent ties of a railroad trackand'toibe supported upon the road bed'belowthe rails", 1 V

' each. section or unit being wholly independk ent of each other; andhaving:v a} series of] spaced inclined plates which are arrangedlengthwiseof thejtrack said sections orrj unitsofilling'thespace-between the ties and j ,7 l the outer sides ofgthetracl; and gmadesepa-g f extending along the same and accessibleat rately removable. o

i 2.]A cattle'guard provided sections or units for introduction}betweenadjacent ties of a railroad',;track,l"being mounted upon the road bedbelow theirails,

each section orunit being-wholly vindependent of eachother and having,no connection with the ties or rails, and"c omprisingr a series v l ofplates and connecting means thereforsus taining the plates, fwh'en'g in;installed Jposi- 'tion, at an inclination, with the plates fextendinglengthwise of the track and inilon'gitudinal alinement,and'notprojectingabove g the plane of the upper faceof the ties, said sections or unitsfilling the space between-the (V ties andzbearingagainst the sides of;the lat-; V "ter and extending along. the same and accessible at theouter" sides of theitrack, each section or unit being separatelyremovable.

iso

3. A cattle guard for railroad tracks, comprising a plurality ofcomplete sections or units for introduction between the adjacent ties ofthe track, and extending below the rails and filling the space betweenthe ties and resting upon the road bed, each section or unit comprisinga series of inclined plates, and bars connecting the plates at the topand bottom in parallel relation, with the plates extended lengthwise ofthe track and in longitudinal alinement, and said bars bearing againstthe sides of the ties, whereby the upper edges of the plates arepresented adjacent to the bottoms of the rails and beneath the tops ofthe ties, and thus provide an insecure footing for animals.

4. A cattle guard for railroads, comprising a plurality of sections orunits each made up of a series of spaced parallel inclined plates withedge flanges on opposite sides, and upper and lower bars pivotallyconnecting the plates at the flanges to hold the plates in inclinedposition between adj acent ties, with the plates extended lengthwise ofthe track and in longitudinal alinement.

5. A cattle guard provided with complete independent sections or unitsfor introduction between adj acent ties of a railroad track to rest uponthe road bed, said sections or units filling the space between the tiesand extending along the ties substantially throughout the length of thelatter so as to be accessible at either of the ends of the ties, andbeing removably mounted in place, each section or unit being separatelyremovable from either side of the track.

6. A cattle guard provided with sections or units for introductionbetween adjacent ties and transversely beneath the rails of a railroadtrack, each section or unit comprising a series of inclined plates, andconnecting means therefor sustaining the plates in installed position atan inclination, with the plates extended lengthwise of the track, saidsections or units filling the space between the ties, the opposite endsof the sections projecting beyond the opposite sides of the rails sothat each section or unit is accessible and removable at either side ofthe track.

7 A cattle guard provided with sections or units for introductionbetween adjacent ties of a railroad track, each section or unitcomprising a series of plates, and connecting means therefor sustainingthe plates when in installed position at an inclination, with the platesextended lengthwise the track, the connection between the plates andsaid connecting means permitting the plates to be collapsed one uponanother.

8. A cattle guard provided with sections or units for introductionbetween adjacent ties of a railroad track, each section or unitcomprising a series of plates, and bars connecting the plates andsustaining them when in installed position at an inclination, with theplates lengthwise the track, the bars and plates being pivotallyconnected so that the entire section or unit may be collapsed, and meansfor locking the plates from movement on their pivots when the sectionsare in position.

9. A cattle guard provided with sections or units for introductionbetween adjacent ties of a railroad track, each section or unitcomprising a series of plates, upper and lower bars connecting theplates and sustaining them when in installed'position at an inclination,with the plates arranged lengthwise the track, the bars and plates beingpivotally connected so that the entire section or unit may be collapsed,and braces connecting the upper and lower bars at each end to hold thesection from collapsing when in position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature.

S IRMA SMITH.

Witnesses HAZEL BODENHEIMER,

D. WV. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0."

